1. Brandy Barrel Aged Imperial Pumpkin Lager Brewed by Lakefront Brewing in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Lakefront’s Brandy Barrel-Aged Imperial Pumpkin Ale pays homage to Lakefront’s formative years and to our Wisconsin roots. The full, moderately-bright mouthfeel starts with pumpkin pie spice and caramel malt with oaky-vanilla brandy barrel flavors in tow. Oak and malty sweetness linger on the palate; a reminder of how we’ve honed our craft over the years.
2. Imperial Pumpkin Porter Brewed by Epic Brewing Company in Salt Lake City, Utah and Denver, Colorado
The essence of the fall! This pumpkin porter explodes with aromas of sweet spices giving way to chocolate and roasted malt. Flavors are reminiscent of fresh-cut pumpkin and chocolate and complimented by hints of clove, fresh Madagascar vanilla beans, nutmeg and allspice.
3. The Great’er Pumpkin Brewed by Heavy Seas Brewing Co. in Halethorpe, Maryland
In the most worthy of pumpkin patches and during the silence of the midnight hour, the Great’er Pumpkin raises up and pours a rich deep and burnished orange color. Heady aromas of bourbon, cinnamon, ginger, allspice and clove linger seductively over the thick white head of this tremendous brew. Its love at first sip as the full malt body, dominated by British crystal malt, brown sugar and pumpkin, slowly washes over your tongue. Bourbon barrel aging rounds out the flavors with notes of oak, vanilla, and bourbon. Pairs well with crisp autumn weather and crunchy fallen leaves.
4. Schlafly Pumpkin Ale brewed by The Saint Louis Brewery in St. Louis, Missouri
A conspicuous roasted pumpkin note, smoothly integrated spices and a dark pumpernickel bread cushion lead us to the conclusion Midwesterners reached years ago: The brewers at Schlafly know their way around a pumpkin. Best pumpkin ale drinkers with a sweet tooth will enjoy this one for its sugary pumpkin candy and cake icing qualities; spice-lovers will appreciate the soft landing of cinnamon, clove and nutmeg; and everyone should marvel at how expertly the beer’s 8% ABV is hidden.
5. Punkuccino Brewed by Elysian Brewing in Seattle, Washington
Punkuccino Coffee Pumpkin Ale perfectly blends together beer and a kick of caffeine. Punkuccino Coffee Pumpkin Ale packs a shot of Stumptown coffee into the pint with just a shake of cinnamon and nutmeg, and pumpkin added into the mash, kettle, and fermenter. Pale, brown, biscuit, C-77 crystal, chocolate and kiln-coffee malts provide the body, German Northern Brewer lends a touch of bitterness, and lactose sweetens the beer just a touch. The final result is a toasty, medium-bodied beer unlike any other pumpkin ale with all of the beloved flavors of the Pacific Northwest.
7. Good Gourd Almighty Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Ale brewed by Cigar City Brewing in Tampa, Florida.
This high-gravity gob of gourd-y goodness incorporates pumpkin in the mashing process and then gets wicked with the spices, including Ceylon cinnamon, Jamaica allspice, Zanzibar cloves and nutmeg. Aged in bourbon barrels.
Tasting Notes
Woody, rustic notes of bourbon barrels on the nose give way to aromas of allspice, cinnamon and
ripe pumpkin. The palate of this enormous Pumpkin Ale reveals much the same on the tongue but finishes with a wallop of bourbon spice and drying wood tannins.
7. Punkin Ale brewed by Dogfish Head Brewery in Milton, Delaware
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery’s Punkin Ale is back! Debuting in 1995 and now is one of America’s best-selling pumpkin beers. Punkin Ale, a full-bodied brown ale, clocks in at 7% ABV. This beer is brewed with real pumpkin,
8. Whole Hog Pumpkin Ale brewed by Stevens Point Brewery in Stevens Point, Wisconsin
Of all the best pumpkin ales, one factor sets Whole Hog apart: spice. Savory pumpkin pie spices, natural cinnamon, nutmeg, and real pumpkin are perfectly balanced in this sweet, fully enveloping Pumpkin Ale.
9. Pumpkin Pie de Brettaville Brewed by Almanac Beer Company in San Francisco, California
Pumpkin Pie de Brettaville is a magical mix of barrel- aging and the rich flavors of autumn. We start with heirloom pumpkins from Bodega Bay and roast them whole to create a deep sugary caramelization. We add the pumpkins to a bright brettanomyces-fermented beer, and then age it in oak casks with a selection of our favorite pumpkin pie spices; whole vanilla beans, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Finally we blend the barrels back together to create a cohesive whole with rich layers of oak, spice and caramelized pumpkin. Pair this complex sipper alongside autumn campfires, turning leaves and one extra slice of mom’s Thanksgiving pie.
10. Pinchy Jeek Barl brewed by Anderson Valley Brewing in Boonville, California
Pinchy Jeek Barl is aged for 6 months in Wild Turkey barrels. This bourbon barrel-aged pumpkin ale is pleasantly creamy with a silky body and sweet caramel flavor. The aging process imparts notes of coconut, vanilla, and oak to compliment the tang of the spices and a hint of hops, all wrapped in a smooth, round finish. Truly one of the best pumpkin ales around.
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Thrillist Pumpkin Beers
Two Roads Roadsmary’s Baby
CigarCityGoodGourd
NewBelgiumVoodoo Atomic Pumpkin
Shipyard Smashed Pumpkin
Saint Arnold Pumpkinator
New Holland Ichabod
Dogfish Head Punkin
Elysian Punkuccino
Whole Hog Pumpkin Ale
Jolly Pumpkin La Parcela
Schlafly Pumpkin Ale
LakeFront Imperial Pumpkin